Jon Jones more concerned about Dan Henderson’s striking than his grappling

Iconic light heavyweight Dan Henderson is the rare breed of competitor possessing one-punch knockout power along with high-level wrestling skills taking him all the way to a pair of Olympic games. While divisional champion Jon Jonesis nowhere near as accomplished as Henderson on the mat, it turns out “Bones” is actually focusing more on the 41-year old’s stand-up than takedown abilities when it comes to his upcoming title-defense against “Hendo”.

“I think more his striking than his wrestling ,” explained Jones during a recent press conference promoting Xyience when asked to explain what he’s most concerned about entering the fight. “With each bout, he has been using his striking more. He throws those ‘H-Bombs’ and they are like heat-seeking missiles.”

Henderson’s trademark shot has left a number of opponents looking up at the lights wondering what happened including the likes of Wanderlei Silva, Renato Sobral, and Michael Bisping.

Jones and Henderson are set to square off on September 1 in the main event of UFC 151.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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MMATraining Take: I think Jones has the right idea since I see Henderson as looking to test his chin rather than his ground game. Also, consider Henderson himself has never been knocked out and Jones is prone to picking opponents apart rather than blasting them with single strikes so he has less to fear than he would if things go to the canvas.

[...] UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones recently came forward to reveal he was more concerned about top contender Dan Henderson’s power than wrestling. “Hendo”, who has held PRIDE and Strikeforce belts in the past, is known for being one of the few Mixed Martial Artists to truly blend consistent takedowns and ground control with the ability to knock an opponent out with a single blow when standing. [...]